It has been 20 years since Guitar Hero debuted in North America, giving players everywhere the tools to feel like rock legends. Figuratively speaking, but try convincing anyone who has nailed the epic four-minute guitar solo in front of an enthusiastic living-room audience.
Developed by the developers, Guitar Hero provided users with a plastic guitar peripheral to match on-screen cues scrolling down the screen synchronized to the music. Each riff corresponded to specific notes, producing the feel of an authentic live show.
Harmonix had already tried its hand with rhythm games prior to teaming up with RedOctane, which was acquired by Activision during the mid-2000s. Together, they laid the groundwork for an unlikely billion-dollar franchise which made a remarkable impact on numerous of the artists included, introducing decades-old groups to a new generation of gaming enthusiasts.
A former executive, ex-chief operating officer of Harmonix, remembers the initial budgetary hurdles in securing the songs – even though the first two games primarily featured rerecorded tracks.
“We reproduced all the music since the cost was so high,” he says. “Despite having the publishing rights alone, it proved nearly impossible. We failed to secure acts such as the Who – the publisher had virtually no money, and our team was fairly certain it would fail. But once Guitar Hero took off, and record sales and radio play increased, all artists desired to be in.”
He continues: “One of the amazing things was how many parents reached out expressing gratitude for exposing their children to the songs they loved. It became an intergenerational thing.”
Timeless Music Finds Younger Fans
Irish blues-rock band one featured act had their track on the 2008 game the popular installment. Lead musician the artist remembers how the series revived classic rock to the forefront: “Guitar Hero offered a larger, younger audience. Typically this had been considered outdated material, but then once it got included in the title and teenagers were finding it, suddenly it became trendy. That legitimised the genre, and got rid of the outdated label. It gave all our music renewed popularity.”
At that time, the Answer’s first record was still unreleased stateside, meaning the game served as a primary platform of discovery for the group during their US tour supporting AC/DC. “Their crew had on Never Too Late during travel, and some of them recognized us thanks to the game,” he notes.
Major Band Titles and Lasting Influence
Music's heavyweight names soon took advantage of the series’ popularity, including bands like Aerosmith, Metallica and Van Halen starring in dedicated spin-off titles centered around their music collections and associated lore, visuals and legendary status. In the case of, the Aerosmith edition, it was said to have made the band more money than any of their records. It moved well over half a million units in its first week, while demand for Aerosmith’s music rose of up to 40% during an era as the industry was already collapsing.
The series continues to inspire quick-handed dedication among its fans. Earlier this year, a streamer completed a remarkable feat featuring the challenging track – an infamously tough anthem made popular by the game – using a fan-made version, a freeware game with similar mechanics but an array of personalization features. The song is challenging even in the hardest setting, let alone played at increased tempo while hitting a single one of the thousands of cues. The streamer stated it took nine months to accomplish.
“Guitar Hero offers a, imaginary experience. Just as with other games, it doesn't imply you should use actual weapons and enlist,” notes musician the artist.
The band had already completed a profitable run before Through the Fire and Flames appeared in the third game, yet he explains it made them widely recognized. “I recall our distributors calling to tell me that our records were moving like crazy,” he shares. “It exploded when we next toured, and we performed just before top acts on the Mayhem festival.”
In fact, the band's visibility via the game proved so vast that it has risked eclipsing everything else the band has done. Last year, the song featured in promotional material for Despicable Me 4. “Previously I thought differently, but I’ve made peace with it,” he admits. “If you only hear a single track, that's fine – each person has their own musical journey and I'm pleased we’ve been part in fans' experiences”.
The Lasting Legacy of a Plastic Guitar
The best promotion, be it for automobiles, clothes or video games, extends beyond than selling something – it evokes a desire. Was the game able to tap into that? “That’s exactly what our team aiming to achieve,” he confirms. “That thrill of being a music icon on the stage. From day one, the creators believed there’s an instinctive urge to make music, and they wanted to use technology to enable everyone to participate”.
Most installments were released over a mere half-decade from 2005 to 2010, featuring derivative titles such as the DJ version, complete with a spinning deck, and Band Hero. After that, the publisher’s interest on peripherals waned, except for a short-lived revival in 2015.
Games like the fan project and newer releases have kept the community active, and there’s expectations of a new product from the founders in development. Recently formed developers has begun work on its debut rhythm-based title. Original co-founders are participating in advisory roles. Is the world ready to embrace another game following the classic?
“Our team believed those games might become similar to sports games allowing annual update every year,” he remarks. “There’s so much fresh tracks it could remain evergreen, thus I remain optimistic. There’s no reason for it to continue with new generations.”
